Owen’s Place is dedicated to increasing universally designed, recreational opportunities for individuals of ALL abilities in the Miami Valley.
Our Mission: Building recreational opportunities with endless possibilities.
In partnership with: Beavercreek Township Trustees, Beavercreek Township District Park Board, Beavercreek Rotary, Greene County Board of Developmental Disabilities, Greenebucs the Lions Club and Greene County Community Foundation.
Owen's Place is located at Victory Park in Beavercreek, Ohio USA.
Owen’s Place will meet a full range of physical, intellectual, emotional and social needs of children and adults with disabilities.
The project features distinct areas focusing on developmental opportunities. These will include, but are not limited to: an area in support of motor skills, a hand zone for fine motor development and a sensory garden.
The recreational space will also offer pretend play areas where children can “invent” games that can be played throughout the recreation space. We will have story boards throughout these areas to offer concepts for children to expand on their own. These areas will be appropriately adjacent to each other in order to provide for developmentally appropriate play and universal access.
We have consulted the parents of children with disabilities, therapists and individuals with disabilities in order to assess their specific needs to ensure that we are meeting the needs of as many individuals as possible. By providing quiet places throughout the area such as tunnels and seats in the garden, we will be able to meet the needs of individuals with sensory processing disorders such as Autism or Down Syndrome.
The ground materials will be a rubber poured- in-play surface which will have a unique and intricate design to provide a sensory experience as well as easy transitioning for those who have gait issues or use a mobility device. Our planned sensory garden will provide further sensory experiences through small enhancements such as wind chimes, raised beds and plants which have textures and strong scents.
The central area will have a loop path that connects a series of themed areas designed to offer engaging lessons on our local heritage of invention. The first area will contain a “Wall of Innovation” which will have examples of man’s first inventions, the lever, incline plane, wheel, auger and the pulley. This wall will also have a textured surface to provide sensory input.
A labyrinth will allow individuals to trace a story on the Wright Brothers etched into paving stones which will lead to a small, custom made bi-plane that will allow anyone of any ability to share in the experience of “flying” one of man’s first airplanes.
A tunnel cut in the side of a hill will be wide enough for mobility devices and will lead to a “secret” area for children to play their newly invented games. This area will have talking tubes for communication back to the central area. The overall design will allow full use of existing site features and will enhance them with structures, walkways and play spaces that expose individuals who are disabled to the outdoors in a way that many have not experienced before.
Owen’s Place will also include transfer systems and ramps to provide access to elevated play structures, in addition to platforms for rest.
The lower portions, under equipment, will feature various engaging materials including Braille, large print and contrasting colors for individuals with visual impairments and textures for sensory input needed for sensory integration.
Slides of various lengths will accommodate ability differences; and adding a metal slide will reduce the risk of children with cochlear implants from being shocked by the static created from plastic slides which leaves their hearing device temporarily ineffective. Sound tubes at varying heights will allow people to interact and engage the sensory experience with ease.
Among the adaptations in the design will be fencing to prevent children from running outside of the secured area. There will also be wheelchair accessible swings and molded swings to allow people of various abilities to enjoy one of life’s greatest pastimes.
Owen’s Place will be located primarily at Victory Park and on a small portion of Rotary Park. Rotary Park is the most used park in Beavercreek and hosts adult softball, youth softball, and youth soccer, picnic facilities, and playground. A Bike/walking trail that runs right by the Owen’s Place location connects with the Little Miami Rail Trail network.
If you have any questions, we’d love to hear from you.
You can contact:
Gussie Jones
Phone:
Email:
or
Trish Gustafson
Phone 937-422-7924
[email protected]
If you would like to make a tax deductible donation to Owen's Place, you can send your donation to:
Owen’s Place
P.O. Box 115
Alpha, OH 45301
